The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1887-12-08

goods. Here. take these" (handing me 9
five, ten and twenty Ego to bank OF
brokers' office and see if you have any
difficulty in changing them. That's con
elusive test Of their merit, isn't it!"
I replied that I didn't see how test
could be more satisfactory, and after little
urging did as Samuel suggested. Taking
the twenty into brokers office, not with
out trepidation, asked to be accommodated
with four fives for it, The broker handed
me four fives quicker than a wink. Next
went into bank, and producing my two
other samples inquired of the teller if they
were good. He sharply scrutinized them
and answered: Good as the wheat" That
settled it. 1 returned to Samuel quite pre-
pared to invest my entire s., 900 in his ex-
| cellent green goods, bitterly regretting
that hadn't my remaining 5000 with me.
We'll" said Samuel, with the smile of
confidence upon his face as re-entered his
rooms, show did my goods stand the testr'
made my report, whereupon he continued
with the air of Old Reliability himself:
I'D scorn to bring man clear down from
Maine to purchase goods Of me that were
not A 10. IL
Well, after some further talk purchased
SO COZ of the green goods of Samuel, pay
this point that he was not accustomed to
give every customer that came along as
good terms as he offered me, but that he
had taken great fancy TO me because l
reminded him Of pet cousin of his, a great
favorite in society, who had died few
years previous. With this he excused
himself, saying he would go and get me the
green goods. He was absent about half an
nd tnr I'D mt
in my presence, most of them in twenties
and fifties. This done he placed the bills
in neat black sachel, which he generously
offered to give me without extra charge;
locked the sachel and handed me the key.
remarking ''there you are.n Then handed
over my thousand dollars. He counted the
money and carefully deposited it in an in
side pocket of his vest with the one word,
correct" Then he quietly observed in
tones of fatherly solicitation: 'Tf l were
you I'd have that sachel sent to your adj
dress in Maine by express. It's the safest
plan" While he was giving me this advice
there came knock on the door. Samuel
exclaimed in an excited whisper, "Place
your sachel in that closet over there and
keep mum-there's no telling who that isl
Accordingly 1 placed the sachel in the
closet and kept mum. The knock was re-
peated.
"Come in," said SAMUEL. A nic.-looking,
fashionably dressed gentleman entered,
who, on observing me, remarked, ''Ah,
Samuel, see you have company, so will
not stop now. Can have word with you!"
Samuel excused himself to me as politely
as you please, and, going to the door, con-
versed with his friend for few minutes.
Apparently the subject of their converse
ton was of an agreeable nature, for they
both laughed heartily. Presently Samuel
came back, told me one or two good stories,
and then suggest ed that we proceed to the
express Office. / assented. whereupon he
went to the closet, returned with my sach-
Ell, and we started out.
AS we went along he cautioned me to
take good care Of the key and to keep
quiet tongue in my head. Having left the
sachel at the express Office and got re-
ceipt for it, l babe Samuel goodbye, cor
daily inviting him to come and see me if he
ever was in my part of Maine. / added
that / considered myself a lucky man in
having made his acquaintance. 81 trust you
never may feel like altering your opinion"
he replied, with a wonderfully bright smile.
l think / never met stranger who made
so favorable an impression on me. Well,
gentlemen, see that you are all on a
broad grin, and the rest Of this chap
ter of my experience with Samuel l need
scarcely tell you. When l got home
FASTENED to the express Office, got my
precious black bag, and hurrying to my
room with it, locked the door and opened
it. / still recollect how my mouth watered |
as l turned the key. To my utter amaze |
ment and furious indignation l found of |
course that had been taken in and done |
for. The bag contained nothing but pack |
ages Of brown paper Of the size of bank |
notes. In flash l saw the true inwardness |
Of the swindle of which 1 was the victim. |
had been shown genuine money by the |
Samuel The samples which |
had taken to the brokers' Office and the |
bank were indeed as good as the wheat be-
cause they had been issued by Uncle Sam |
"a very different individual from Sam
Hall. The closet in Samuers room doubt
less could be entered from the hall. 1t was
so entered and the bag with waste paper
for the one containing good |
money. For an hour after making this dis
covery how l did tear around that room!
Great Scottl it was terrible. At length l
Gained down enough to consider what I'd
better do about it. Dread of ridicule and
the realization of having been duped while
was endeavoring to acquire counterfeit
money forbade my laying the matter before
the police. At length 1 settled down on the
that | would never rest until
had got even and little more with Sam
lel Hall
Well, Of course, realized my determine
lion or wouldn't be telling you this story
io-night-not much! Within week of the
time was plundered was back in Boston
disguised so that my own mother wouldn't
have recognized me. l managed to obtain
IN agency for the sale OF soaps and per-
-umeries in order to have an excuse for
all over the city and entering all
sorts of houses without exciting suspicion
But l failed to come upon Samuel. Finally,
while endeavoring to dispose of some per-
umery to the proprietor of the saloon in
v hich l first met him-yes, the saloon did
iced perfuming pretty badly-I learned
rom a remark which was dropped BY one
If the inmates that he had gone West.
That probably means Chicago said to
myself, and took the first train for that
.ity with my soaps and perfumeries. I
Irrived during race week and concluded
hat if Samuel was about I'd find him out {
t the race track. 1t. was good guess for
greenhoru. About the first person laid
ny eyes on after 1 had reached the grand
tand was Samuel He still wore Grape on
lis hat and patent feathers on his feet. He I
vas betting freely, going about with bank.
lotes temptingly displayed between his ,
banknotes, very likely. After /,
he first race several men went I'D and
hook his hand, aud edglng my way toward
lm gathered from the talk that he had
Won large sum of money. So ap- j
reached with my tray Of soaps and per- !
umeries and remarked in regular Cheap